Extension To-Dos

The Aims:
  • give us additional living space, both inside and outside
  • improve energy efficiency
  • capture some of our rain water
  • provide a more attractive approach to the back yard
  • bring stormwater drainage up to code
  • match the character of our Austerity cottage

The People:

Our Architect:  Peter Katris, Katris & Associates
Our Builder:  Louie Borg, All Purpose Homes
Our Kitchen: Greener Kitchens


The Big Picture



The Big List

When we started

Demolition External  DONE
Trees:
  • Wattle tree in front of shed
  • Mulberry tree behind carport
Carport and slab
Existing driveway
Existing gate and supports
Two garden sheds and lean-to behind laundry
Note: asbestos present in one shed, lean-to and in eaves of house
Hill's Hoist to be retained and re-erected elsewhere in back yard

Demolition Internal DONE
Wall between kitchen & dining room
Section of wall between dining room and lounge room
Wall between dining room and hall
Half of wall between laundry and store-room
Part of wall between dining room and new family room
Remove doorway to store-room
Tear out the kitchen

Remove debris

Recycling  DONE
Retain skirting boards, doors, door-frames and picture rail for reuse 


Concreting DONE
Family room, garage prepared and poured
Patio & new driveway (with median strip)
Polished concrete finish to family room

Drainage DONE
Avoid PVC piping.  Use HDPE or similar products where possible for drainage pipes etc (see PVC Alternatives Database for alternative products)
Install 2150 litre (or bigger!) water tanks with first flush diverter on W side house
Guttering:  Smartflo in 'Manor Red'

Plumbing
Cap off tap halfway down back yard (line is rusted and leaking) DONE
Install garden tap at rear of garage DONE (actually at rear of garden bed)
Install toilet in laundry (not part of council application; we can leave this out if it's a problem) DONE
Work related to kitchen installation

Gasfitting DONE
Lines for gas heater in family room, gas heater in Bedroom 4 and gas BBQ on patio 

Family room:  Jetmaster Horizon Freestander with gas pebbles or Jetmaster Universal Freestander in black with Topaz gas pebbles or similar
(need to know clearances, electrical connections?, correct size firebox for room)

Construction DONE
Freestanding garage
Planter box
Family room
Patio
Brick in doorway to store-room
Dwarf wall to 1000 mm between dining room and family room
Cut larger manhole in laundry ceiling
Cabling for entertainment equipment
Stud wall to enclose bedroom 4; blade extends into kitchen  (match existing doorframes, skirting, cornice, picture rail -- recycling if possible).  Doorway to Bedroom 4 to be at least 30cm from kitchen wall, to allow room for bookshelves 
Pergola in timber 

Bricklaying DONE
Double brick cavity, in family room.
Garage: single skin; planter box
Bricks:  Match for Eastwood Reds
Mortar to match existing in colour and raking

Roofing DONE
Adding new section: became Replacing entire roof
Wunderlich Modern French tile in 'Sunset'

Insulation DONE
R 3.0 rockwool batts over family room (rest of house is already insulated)

Electrical General DONE
Avoid PVC products. Use HDPE, PP or similar products where possible for conduit, and XLPE-insulated (or similar) electrical cables (see PVC Alternatives Database for products) 
Electrical outlets for gas heaters? (will need spec from manufacturers)
TV aerial installation and related cabling to family room and to Bedroom 4 (there might be a pre-existing cable there;  wall plug probably needs replacement
Cat 6 (ethernet) cable from Bedroom 4 to family room (we will need our telecommunications provider to move the incoming cable to Bedroom 4) 
Mains smoke alarms per plan 
Remove ceiling fan from kitchen 
Rough-in GPOs and other electrical fittings for kitchen 
Finishing in kitchen

Electrical Lighting, Fans & Switches DONE
2 light fittings for garage, plus apparatus for automatic door and additional GPO 
New light in entry
New light switch for bedroom 4
New light fitting for Bedroom 4 (possibly recycled from kitchen)
Relocate hall light switch (it is on doorframe)
Relocate & replace kitchen/dining light fittings
Relocation of switch for kitchen lights to blade wall -- include family room light & fan switches too
Install a switch on kitchen blade wall to turn all entertainment equipment off at mains
Switch for family room lights & fan near back door, and outdoor lighting switch(es)
Outdoor lighting -- sensor light needed for area in front of garage/gate and several for patio after pergola is built
Fans (1-2) and light fittings in family room
Rough-in under-cupboard LED lighting in kitchen

Plastering DONE
Hard plastering on internal brick walls: laundry, family room, dining room and where walls have been removed
Repair of ceilings where light fittings have been altered, and where kitchen ceiling fan has been removed
Gyprocking new wall of Bedroom 4
Repair of damaged walls elsewhere in house
Cornices, picture rails & skirting to match existing

Carpentry & framing DONE
Timber roof trusses
Framing of study wall and kitchen wall 
Eaves to match existing
Pergola
Note:  Australian plantation timber, or FSC certified timbers only

Cabinetry & Joinery
Wooden slab on half-wall between family room and kitchen
Kitchen cabinetry -- looking for a solid timber kitchen

Stairs DONE
Install wrought iron balustrade to stairs, with similar style to wrought-iron railing on front porch (PC $150/m)

Note:  Australian plantation timber, or FSC certified timbers only

Flooring DONE
Marmoleum installed to foyer & kitchen, to tone with family room finish

Painting DONE
All preparation, and two top coats on all internal walls
Suitable finish for internal timber work on stairs and new cabinetry, if not covered by cabinet-maker’s contract (NOT polyurethane)
Sand back all picture rails, skirting boards, architraves etc and paint
External painting: make good and repaint all window frames, and repaint all eaves

Windows & Doors and related DONE
Aluminium sliding doors to garage
Bifolds to family room
Two garage doors
Econotube Skylight in hall
Rear gate in timber

Kitchen DONE
Choosing the style and layout
Installation